Individual Submission G. Huston, Internet Draft S. Bradner Document: draft-huston-iana-00.txt October 2002 Category: BCP Expires: April 2003 Defining the Role and Function of the IETF-IANA Status of this Memo This document is an Internet-Draft and is in full conformance with all provisions of Section 10 of RFC2026. Internet-Drafts are working documents of the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF), its areas, and its working groups. Note that other groups may also distribute working documents as Internet- Drafts. Internet-Drafts are draft documents valid for a maximum of six months and may be updated, replaced, or obsoleted by other documents at any time. It is inappropriate to use Internet- Drafts as reference material or to cite them other than as "work in progress." The list of current Internet-Drafts can be accessed at http://www.ietf.org/ietf/1id-abstracts.txt The list of Internet-Draft Shadow Directories can be accessed at http://www.ietf.org/shadow.html. Comments on this draft should be directed to gih@telstra.net. Abstract This memo describes the role and function of the IETF-IANA. Many IETF protocols make use of commonly defined values that are passed within protocol objects. To ensure consistent interpretation of these values between independent implementations, there is a need to ensure that the values and associated semantic intent are uniquely defined. The IETF uses a single registry to register these protocol values and their associated semantic intent. In this memo the registry function is referred to as the IETF Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IETF-IANA). This document provides a description of this function and proposes Huston & Bradner [Page 1]
draft-huston-iana-00.txt IETF-IANA Role 22 October 2002 that this description be adopted by the Internet Architecture Board (IAB). 1. Introduction Many IETF protocols make use of commonly defined values that are passed within protocol objects. To ensure consistent interpretation of these values between independent implementations, there is a need to ensure that the values and associated semantic intent are uniquely defined. The IETF uses a single registry to register these protocol values and their associated semantic intent. Historically, this registry is referred to as the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA). In this context the IANA function has included both the registration of protocol-specific identifier values (e.g. TCP parameters) as well as the registration of various numbering and name resources that are used within public Internet networks (e.g. IPv4 address allocations). In this document a distinction is drawn between the registration of protocol parameters for protocols defined in IETF RFCs, and other IANA functions. The new term to describe the IETF-related activity is the "IETF-IANA". The document describes this IETF-IANA function as it applies to the IETF Internet Standards Process. [RFC1700] 2. Definition of IETF-IANA The Internet Standards document STD-2 [RFC1700], published in October 1994, defined the role of the IANA as follows: The Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) is the central coordinator for the assignment of unique parameter values for Internet protocols. The IANA is chartered by the Internet Society (ISOC) and the Federal Network Council (FNC) to act as the clearinghouse to assign and coordinate the use of numerous Internet protocol parameters. The Internet protocol suite, as defined by the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) and its steering group (the IESG), contains numerous parameters, such as internet protocol addresses, domain names, autonomous system numbers (used in some routing protocols), protocol numbers, port numbers, management information base object identifiers, including private enterprise numbers, and many others. Huston & Bradner [Page 2]
draft-huston-iana-00.txt IETF-IANA Role 22 October 2002 The common use of the Internet protocols by the Internet community requires that the particular values used in these parameter fields be assigned uniquely. It is the task of the IANA to make those unique assignments as requested and to maintain a registry of the currently assigned values. [RFC1700] The definition of the IETF-IANA role is provided in BCP 26 [RFC2434]: Many protocols make use of identifiers consisting of constants and other well-known values. Even after a protocol has been defined and deployment has begun, new values may need to be assigned (e.g., for a new option type in DHCP, or a new encryption or authentication algorithm for IPSec). To insure that such quantities have consistent values and interpretations in different implementations, their assignment must be administered by a central authority. For IETF protocols, that role is provided by the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA). [RFC2434] The operation of the IETF-IANA role is described in the MoU Between IETF and the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) concerning IANA [RFC2860] 4.1. The IANA will assign and register Internet protocol parameters only as directed by the criteria and procedures specified in RFCs, including Proposed, Draft and full Internet Standards and Best Current Practice documents, and any other RFC that calls for IANA assignment. If they are not so specified, or in case of ambiguity, IANA will continue to assign and register Internet protocol parameters that have traditionally been registered by IANA, following past and current practice for such assignments, unless otherwise directed by the IESG. If in doubt or in case of a technical dispute, IANA will seek and follow technical guidance exclusively from the IESG. Where appropriate the IESG will appoint an expert to advise IANA. The IANA will work with the IETF to develop any missing criteria and procedures over time, which the IANA will adopt when so instructed by the IESG.[RFC2860] 3. Publication of IETF-IANA Assignments The current mode of publication of IETF-IANA assignments is described in the Informational Document RFC 3232 [RFC3232], published in January 2002: Huston & Bradner [Page 3]
draft-huston-iana-00.txt IETF-IANA Role 22 October 2002 From November 1977 through October 1994, the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) periodically published tables of the Internet protocol parameter assignments in RFCs entitled, "Assigned Numbers". The most current of these Assigned Numbers RFCs had Standard status and carried the designation: STD 2. At this time, the latest STD 2 is RFC 1700. Since 1994, this sequence of RFCs have been replaced by an online database accessible through a web page (currently, www.iana.org). The purpose of the present RFC is to note this fact and to officially obsolete RFC 1700, whose status changes to Historic. RFC 1700 is obsolete, and its values are incomplete and in some cases may be wrong. [RFC3232] 4. The Procedures related to IETF-IANA Parameter Management IETF-IANA actions are defined through the inclusion of an "IANA Considerations" section in Internet Standards documents, as described in RFC 2434 [RFC1700]. There are also RFCs that specifically address IANA considerations for particular protocols, such as RFC 2780, [RFC2870], RFC 2939 [RFC2939], and RFC 2978 [RFC2978]. 5. The Operation of the IETF-IANA As documented in the IAB Charter [RFC2850], the role of the Internet Architecture Board includes responsibility for the IANA function. Specifically, the IAB, acting on behalf of the IETF, approves the appointment of an organization to act as IANA on behalf of the IETF, and also approves the terms and conditions of this delegation of the IANA function. The IANA has a non-voting liaison with the IAB to facilitate clear communications and effective operation of the IETF-IANA function. The technical direction of the IANA with respect to IETF-IANA is provided by the Internet Engineering Steering Group (IESG). [RFC2850] The IANA has a non-voting liaison with the IESG to facilitate clear communications and effective operation of the IETF- IANA function. 6. Current IETF-IANA Protocol Parameter Assignments The list of current IETF-IANA protocols for which parameter assignments are registered by IANA is listed in reference [IANA.ORG]. Huston & Bradner [Page 4]
draft-huston-iana-00.txt IETF-IANA Role 22 October 2002 With reference to the IETF-IANA, the protocol parameters that are excluded from the scope of the IETF-IANA role are the registration of unicast IPv4 address blocks, unicast IPv6 address blocks, Autonomous System blocks, and top level delegations within the Domain Name System, as they are considered to be outside the scope of the IETF-IANA as defined in Section 2 of this document. 7. A Description of the Operation and Responsibilities of the IETF-IANA A description of the operation and responsibilities of the IETF-IANA is proposed for consideration by the Internet Architecture Board. This document is intended to clearly describe and define the role of the IETF-IANA and the related roles of the IAB, the IESG, and the Internet Society. A draft of such a description is contained in Attachment A. 8. Acknowledgements The authors acknowledge the assistance provided by reviewers of earlier drafts of this document, including James Kempf, Ran Atkinson, Sally Floyd, Harald Alvestrand and Leslie Daigle. 9. References [RFC1700] Reynolds, J., Postel, J., "ASSIGNED NUMBERS", STD2, RFC1700, October 1994. [RFC2434] Narten, T., Alvestrand, H., "Guidelines for Writing an IANA Considerations Section in RFCs", BCP26, RFC2434, October 1998. [RFC2860] Carpenter, B., Baker, F., Roberts, M., "Memorandum of Understanding Concerning the Technical Work of the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority", RFC2860, June 2000. [RFC3232] Reynolds, J. ed., "Assigned Numbers: RFC 1700 is Replaced by an On-line Database", RFC3232, January 2002. [RFC2870] Bradner, S., Paxson, V., "IANA Allocation Guidelines For Values In the Internet Protocol and Related Headers", BCP37, RFC 2780, March 2000. [RFC2939] Droms, R., "Procedures and IANA Guidelines for Definition of New DHCP Options and Message Types.", BCP43, RFC 2939, September 2000. [RFC2978] Freed, N., Postel, J., "IANA Charset Registration Huston & Bradner [Page 5]
draft-huston-iana-00.txt IETF-IANA Role 22 October 2002 Procedures", BCP19, RFC 2978, October 2000. [RFC2850] Carpenter, B., ed., "Charter of the Internet Architecture Board (IAB)" BCP39, RFC 2850, May 2000. [IANA.ORG] "IANA Protocol Numbers and Assignment Services" available online as http://www.iana.org/numbers.htm [DYSON] Correspondence from Esther Dyson, Interim Chairman, ICANN to Scott Bradner, Brian Carpenter and Fred Baker of the IETF, Feb 25 1999, http://www.icann.org/correspondence/bradner- dyson-25feb99.htm 10. Authors Geoff Huston Telstra 242 Exhibition St, Melbourne AUSTRALIA EMail: gih@telstra.net Scott Bradner Harvard University 29 Oxford St CAmbridge MA 02138 USA EMail: sob@harvard.edu Huston & Bradner [Page 6]
draft-huston-iana-00.txt IETF-IANA Role 22 October 2002 Attachment A The Operation and Responsibilities of the IETF-IANA Abstract This memo describes the operation and role of the IETF-IANA, and the roles of related bodies with reference to the IETF-IANA function. Introduction Many protocols make use of identifiers consisting of constants and other well-known values. Even after a protocol has been defined and deployment has begun, new values may need to be assigned (e.g., for a new option type in DHCP, or a new encryption or authentication algorithm for IPSec). To insure that such quantities have consistent values and interpretations in different implementations, their assignment must be administered by a central authority. For IETF protocols, that role is provided by the IETF Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IETF-IANA). IETF-IANA Role The IETF-IANA is a function undertaken under the auspices of the Internet Architecture Board (IAB). The roles of the IETF-IANA are as follows: - Review and Advise The IETF-IANA reviews Internet-Drafts that are being considered by the IESG, with the objective of offering advice to the IESG regarding the need for an IANA Considerations section, whether such a section, when required, is clear in terms of direction to IETF-IANA and whether the section is consistent with the current published IETF- IANA Guidelines. - Registry The IETF-IANA operates a registry of protocol parameter assignments. This registry includes: * all protocol parameters that are managed by IETF-IANA, * for each protocol parameter, a reference to the RFC document that describes the parameter and the associated IANA Huston & Bradner [Page 7]
draft-huston-iana-00.txt IETF-IANA Role 22 October 2002 Considerations concerning the parameter, and * for each registration of a protocol parameter, the source of the registration and the date of the registration. The registry operates as a public registry, and the contents of the registry are openly available to the public, on-line and free of charge. The IETF-IANA assigns protocol parameter values in accordance with the policy associated with the protocol parameter. (Some policies are listed in RFC 2434. [RFC2434]) - Mailing Lists The IETF-IANA operates public mailing lists as specified in IANA Considerations. Such lists are designated for the purpose of review of assignment proposals in conjunction with a designated expert review function. - Liaison The IETF-IANA designates an individual to act as a non-voting liaison to the IAB. The IETF-IANA designates an individual to act as a non-voting liaison to the IESG. The IETF-IANA liases with the IESG regarding the provision of advice to the IESG on IETF protocol parameters as well as the IANA Considerations section of Internet-drafts that are being reviewed for publication as an RFC. - Reporting The IETF-IANA will submit periodic reports to the IAB concerning IETF-IANA operational performance of the registry function. The IETF-IANA will undertake periodic reports to the IETF Plenary concerning the status of the IETF-IANA role. The IETF-IANA will publish an annual report describing the status of the IETF-IANA function and a summary of performance indicators. - Intellectual Property Rights and the IETF-IANA IETF-IANA assigned values are published and made available free of any charges and free of any constraints relating to further redistribution, with the caveat that the IETF-IANA assignment information may not be modified in any redistributed copy. Huston & Bradner [Page 8]
draft-huston-iana-00.txt IETF-IANA Role 22 October 2002 Any intellectual property rights of IETF-IANA assignment information, including the IETF-IANA registry and its contents, are to be held by the IETF and ISOC, and all IETF-IANA publications relating to assignment information are to be published under the terms of Section 10 of RFC2026, and are to include the copyright notice as documented in Section 10.4 (C) of RFC2026. [RFC2939] [DYSON] IAB role The IETF-IANA is a function undertaken under the auspices of the Internet Architecture Board (IAB). The IAB has the responsibility to, from time to time, review the current description of the IETF-IANA function and to adopt amendments relating to its role and mode of operation of the IETF- IANA according to the best interests of the IETF. The IAB has the responsibility to select an organization to undertake the delegated functions of the IETF-IANA. The IAB has the responsibility to determine the terms and conditions of this delegated role. Such terms and conditions should ensure that the IETF-IANA operates in a manner that is fully conformant to the functions described in this document. In addition, such terms and conditions must not restrict the rights and interests of the IETF with respect to the IETF-IANA function. The IETF-IANA designates a non-voting liaison to the IAB to facilitate clear communications and effective operation of the IETF- IANA function. IESG Role The IESG is responsible for the technical direction of the IETF- IANA. Such technical direction is provided through the adoption of IETF RFC documents within the "IANA Considerations" section of such documents, or as stand-alone "IANA Considerations" RFC documents. The IESG shall ensure that the review of Internet-Drafts that are offered for publications as RFCs ensures that IANA Considerations sections are present when needed, and that IANA Considerations sections conform to the current published guidelines. The IETF-IANA designates a non-voting liaison to the IESG to facilitate clear communications and effective operation of the IETF- IANA function. Huston & Bradner [Page 9]
draft-huston-iana-00.txt IETF-IANA Role 22 October 2002 Internet Society Role Any intellectual property rights of IETF-IANA assignment information, including the IETF-IANA registry and its contents, and all IETF-IANA publications, are to be held by the Internet Society on behalf of the IETF. Acknowledgement This document is adapted from RFC2434 [RFC2434], and has been modified to include explicit reference to Intellectual Property Rights, and the roles of the IAB and IESG in relation to the IETF- IANA function. Huston & Bradner [Page 10]